July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Indians, Patriots ready for sectional
Rays of Insight
The high school spring sports season is a sprint.
After a long winter, some spring sports teams zip through their schedules in a matter of six weeks. And when rain-outs are thrown into the mix, the schedule is compacted even further.
Jay County’s track teams just managed to get on their home track for the first time Tuesday. Next week, they head into tournament action.
JCHS has won two sectional championships thus far this school year (in girls cross country and gymnastics) and has a chance to pick up a few more in the coming weeks. Fort Recovery will be looking for its first sectional title of 2012-13.
JCHS boys track
Jay County has been built around a core group of five — Tyler Back, Cade Price, Zane Shreve, Andrew Eley and Dylan Cope — all season, with field events as the strength of the team.
Back is the defending sectional champion in both the shot put and discus, and qualified for the state finals in the shot put last season. Price and Shreve went one-two in the sectional high jump last season, and look primed to repeat that effort. And Eley placed in the top six in the sectional in both throwing events last season.
Shreve will also be among the favorites in both hurdle events, and Cope was the sectional runner-up a year ago in the 1,600-meter run.
If the Patriots are to win their second title in five years at Muncie Central a week from today, those five athletes will lead the way. But everyone else must play their roles as well, because Jay County can not afford to get shut out in multiple events as it did last year and still have a chance to win.
Even after his team beat defending sectional champion Muncie Central 61-60 Tuesday, JCHS coach Greg Garringer said he still considers the Bearcats the favorites. But the Patriots are certainly in the mix.
FRHS baseball
The Indians have been a joy to watch this year.
In 2010 Fort Recovery won just two games. It picked up just two victories again in 2011.
I’ve referred to those numbers over and over again this season, because it’s important to remember where this team came from in order to really appreciate how much it has improved.
The Indians (13-11) began to show the improvement last season, when they won nine games. But still they were no-hit by eventual state champion Minster in the sectional tournament.
This year, it took those Wildcats eight innings to fight off the Tribe during their regular-season meeting.
Jacob Muhlenkamp is among the area’s top hitters, batting .500 with 12 RBIs this season. Blake Boughman follows with a .385 average.
The team has also developed a solid pitching staff, with Jackson Hobbs, Elijah Kahlig and Kent Retz all sporting WHIPs of 1.12 or better.
Winning a sectional championship won’t be easy for the Indians. If they get past New Bremen in their opener Saturday at Minster, they will meet fifth-ranked St. Henry in the title game.
They’ve lost to the Redskins twice already this season. If they get the chance though, they’ll be hoping the third time is the charm.
JCHS girls track
The Patriots are the favorites.
That’s not a prediction. And it’s not meant to put any extra pressure on the girls.
They’ve simply proven they are the team to beat.
Since 1990, only three teams have won the sectional tournament now hosted by Muncie Southside — Muncie Central (13 times), Jay County (six) and Delta (four). The Patriots dominated both Central and Delta as well as sectional newcomer Yorktown at the Muncie Southside Invitational on April 27.
The JCHS team this year is as balanced as ever.
Ciera Barcus, the defending sectional champion in the high jump and long jump, Katie Snyder, Abigail Johnson, Malarie Houck and Sara Lennartz will all be among the favorites in multiple events. The Patriots are likely to send more than one athlete to regional in several events. And they could win all three relays after finishing first in the 4x400 and 4x800 last season as well as second in the 4x100.
Jay County has won three championships in a row by more than 50 points, and is in position to make it four. Tuesday night could be a lot of fun for the Patriots.[[In-content Ad]]
After a long winter, some spring sports teams zip through their schedules in a matter of six weeks. And when rain-outs are thrown into the mix, the schedule is compacted even further.
Jay County’s track teams just managed to get on their home track for the first time Tuesday. Next week, they head into tournament action.
JCHS has won two sectional championships thus far this school year (in girls cross country and gymnastics) and has a chance to pick up a few more in the coming weeks. Fort Recovery will be looking for its first sectional title of 2012-13.
JCHS boys track
Jay County has been built around a core group of five — Tyler Back, Cade Price, Zane Shreve, Andrew Eley and Dylan Cope — all season, with field events as the strength of the team.
Back is the defending sectional champion in both the shot put and discus, and qualified for the state finals in the shot put last season. Price and Shreve went one-two in the sectional high jump last season, and look primed to repeat that effort. And Eley placed in the top six in the sectional in both throwing events last season.
Shreve will also be among the favorites in both hurdle events, and Cope was the sectional runner-up a year ago in the 1,600-meter run.
If the Patriots are to win their second title in five years at Muncie Central a week from today, those five athletes will lead the way. But everyone else must play their roles as well, because Jay County can not afford to get shut out in multiple events as it did last year and still have a chance to win.
Even after his team beat defending sectional champion Muncie Central 61-60 Tuesday, JCHS coach Greg Garringer said he still considers the Bearcats the favorites. But the Patriots are certainly in the mix.
FRHS baseball
The Indians have been a joy to watch this year.
In 2010 Fort Recovery won just two games. It picked up just two victories again in 2011.
I’ve referred to those numbers over and over again this season, because it’s important to remember where this team came from in order to really appreciate how much it has improved.
The Indians (13-11) began to show the improvement last season, when they won nine games. But still they were no-hit by eventual state champion Minster in the sectional tournament.
This year, it took those Wildcats eight innings to fight off the Tribe during their regular-season meeting.
Jacob Muhlenkamp is among the area’s top hitters, batting .500 with 12 RBIs this season. Blake Boughman follows with a .385 average.
The team has also developed a solid pitching staff, with Jackson Hobbs, Elijah Kahlig and Kent Retz all sporting WHIPs of 1.12 or better.
Winning a sectional championship won’t be easy for the Indians. If they get past New Bremen in their opener Saturday at Minster, they will meet fifth-ranked St. Henry in the title game.
They’ve lost to the Redskins twice already this season. If they get the chance though, they’ll be hoping the third time is the charm.
JCHS girls track
The Patriots are the favorites.
That’s not a prediction. And it’s not meant to put any extra pressure on the girls.
They’ve simply proven they are the team to beat.
Since 1990, only three teams have won the sectional tournament now hosted by Muncie Southside — Muncie Central (13 times), Jay County (six) and Delta (four). The Patriots dominated both Central and Delta as well as sectional newcomer Yorktown at the Muncie Southside Invitational on April 27.
The JCHS team this year is as balanced as ever.
Ciera Barcus, the defending sectional champion in the high jump and long jump, Katie Snyder, Abigail Johnson, Malarie Houck and Sara Lennartz will all be among the favorites in multiple events. The Patriots are likely to send more than one athlete to regional in several events. And they could win all three relays after finishing first in the 4x400 and 4x800 last season as well as second in the 4x100.
Jay County has won three championships in a row by more than 50 points, and is in position to make it four. Tuesday night could be a lot of fun for the Patriots.[[In-content Ad]]
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